Catchbar safety means for knitting machines



Jfine 29, 1954 5 HAEHNEL 2,682,164

CATCHBAR SAFETY MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "Em. I

INVENTOR E grberi Erich Haehnel June 29, 1954 H. E. HAEHNEL 2,632,164 CATCHBAR SAFETY MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 22. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheer 2 81 er Ema ne BY l-(TTORNEY June 29, 1954 H. E. HAEHNEL.

CATCHBAR SAFETY MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR rich fiuehnel ATTO R N EY June 29, 1954 HAEHNEL 2,682,164

CATCHBAR SAFETY MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Pic-:1- E

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PLE E INVENTOR q 7 75 l lgrberfi ich Hwehnel ATToRY Patented June 29, 1954 CATCHBAR SAFETY MEANS FORKNITTING MACHINES Herbert Erich Haehnel, West Reading, Pa., as-

,signor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 22, 1952, Serial No. 278,013

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in full-fashioned knitting machines and more particularly to safety mechanism for such machines for preventing engagement of the catchbar with the sinkers when the catchbar and the sinker slurring means become mistimed in relation to each other.

In forming loops on a full-fashioned knitting machine, jacks are operated to progressively advance the sinkers to sink or measure yarn between alternate pairs of needles, of a bank of needles, by a slur cam which is reciprocated longitudinally of the needles by the usual coulier mechanism of the machine. Following the advance of the last sinker and while the slur cam is still in engagement with the last few jacks, the dividers are advanced by a catchbar/to divide and indent the yarn between the remaining needles. As the slur cam passes out of the path of the last sinker the catchbar is lowered to engage the sinkers and then operated to retract and advance the sinkers and dividers in timed re-- lation to the needles as the needles operate to draw the new loops through and cast off the previously formed loops. When, however, the slur cam and catchbar operating means become mistimed with relation to each other, thereby permitting the slur cam to remain in the path of the jacks as the sinkers are retracted by the catch-- bar, damage to the parts usually occurs.

Heretofore, in attempts to avoid damage to the parts safety means were provided to positively maintain the catchbar in a raised position until the last sinker was advanced by the slur cam. Means were also provided to stop the motor of the machine when mistiming occurred. When such mistiming of the partsoccurred before the safety means released the catchbar, the machine was brought to a stop without damage to the parts. However, in many instances mistiming occurred after the safety means acted to release the catchbar but before the slur cam was entirely carried beyond the sinkers. When this condition occurred, the momentum of the machine was usually sufficient to permit the catchbar to be lowered into en agement with the sinkers and then operated to retract the sinkers before the machine was stopped, thereby causing damage when the jacks were rammed against the slur cam.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means to overcome the above mentioned and other difficulties occurring in full-fashioned knitting machines when the various sinker operating mechanisms become mistimed in relation to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a full-fashioned knitting machine with positively acting means for preventing operation of the catchbar to retract the sinkers when the sinker slurring and retracting means are mistimed in relation to each other.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a full-fashioned knitting machine with means synchronously operated from the slur cam operating means and the camshaft for arresting the downward movement of the catchbar and for returning it to a raised inactive posit-ion relatively to the sinkers when the slur cam operating means and camshaft become mistimed in relation to each other.

With these and other objects in view which will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken transversely through a full-fashioned knitting machine embodying mechanism according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to the upper portion of Fig. 1 but shown slightly enlarged relative to Fig. 1., certain parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. l but shown on an enlarged scale relative thereto, parts being omitted;

Fig. 4 is anelevational View of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 3, taken in the direction of the arrows 44;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with the parts shown in difierent relative positions; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional View taken substan tially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

In the drawings and description, only the means necessary to a complete understanding of the invention are specifically set forth; further information as to the construction and operation of other related, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications of the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pa:

The Reading Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalog, published in 1940, the supplement thereto entitled The Reading High Production Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine,

published in 1940, and The Reading Full- Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalog published in 1947.

The mechanism shown in the drawings comprises portions of a full-fashioned knitting machine embodying the novel features of the invention. More specifically the mechanism includes a usual sinker-head, sinkers, slur cam means operated by the couliering means for advancing the sinkers in the sinker-head, and catchbar means operated by the main camshaft for retracting and advancing the sinkers in the sinker-head independently of the slur cam means. In addition there is provided a cam means reciprocated with the slur cam means, cam means on the main camshaft of the machine and connections between said cam means. These cam means and connections are adapted to function to arrest the downward movement of the catchbar to sinker engaging position and to return it to raised position before the sinker retracting movement when the normal operating relation between the slur cam means and catchbar is disrupted.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings there is shown a portion of the usual framework of a fullfashioned knitting machine including transverse frame members, one of which is shown at H), a front beam H, a back beam I2, a front bed l5 and a center bed IS. A camshaft 11 supported for rotation in a clockwise direction in the frame members E0 of the machine, is provided with usual knitting and narrowing cams for operating the various machine elements including needles carried in needle bars, one of which is shown at 2|. The center bed 16 carries sinkerheads 22, one for each of the needle bars (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), having usual transverse slots for sinkers and dividers 26 and a verge plate 21 for limiting the forward movement of the sinkers. The sinkers are progressively advanced to sink or measure yarn between alternate pairs of needles 20 by jacks 30 which are slurred forwardly by a slur cam 3| carried in a housing 32 slidably mounted on a bar 35 fixed to the center bed Hi. The housings 32, one for each sinker-head, are fixed to a connecting bar 36 which is in turn connected to and reciprocated by the usual coulier mechanism (not shown )of the machine in timed relation to the rotation of the camshaft l1.

Following the advancement of the last sinker 25, the dividers 26 are advanced in the sinkerhead 22 to equally divide the yarn between the remaining needles. The dividers 26 are advanced by a catchbar 31 fixed to a link 40 pivotally carried on a lever 41 fixed to a back catchbar shaft 42 pivotally carried in the frame members Hi. The shaft 42 and lever 41 are operated by a cam lever 45 also fixed to the shaft 42 and having a cam follower 46 which is held in engagement with a cam 41 on the camshaft l1 by a spring 56. After the catchbar 31 is operated by the cam 41 to advance the dividers 26, it is lowered from a raised position, where it is inactive with respect to the sinkers, to actively engage the sinkers 25 and the sinkers and dividers are then retracted and advanced by the catchbar in timed relation to the movements of the needles 20, as the loops are formed, and then retracted to starting position. The catchbar 31 is then raised to disengage the sinkers for the next sinker slurring operation by the clur cams 3|.

The catchbar 31 is lowered and raised by means including an arm 5| fixed to the catchbar. The arm 51 has a usual ball and socket connection to one end of a vertical link 52 which is pivotally carried on a lever 55 fixed to a front catchbar shaft 56. The shaft 56 also has a lever 51 fixed thereto having a pin 60 which rotatably carries a cam follower 6| (Figs. 6 and 7). The follower 61 is held in engagement with a cam 62 by means of a spring 65. The cam 62 has a high portion 63 which determines the raised or inactive position of the catchbar 31 and a low portion 64 which determines the lowered or sinker engaging position of the catchbar. The high and low portions 63 and 64 of the cam 62 are connected by inclined portions 66, one of which is shown in Fig. 3. The cam follower 6| is held against axial movement on the pin 60 by an arm 66 of a bracket 61 secured to the lever 51, as shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. It is to be understood that when the followers 46 and 6| are in engagement with the cams 41 and 62, respectively, the camshaft I1 is in the knitting position and that during a narrowing cycle of the machine the camshaft I1 is shifted to move a different set of cams into engagement with the followers 46 and 6|, in the usual manner.

When, through accident, the connecting bar 36 fails to move the slur cam 3| out of the path of the jacks 30 at the time the sinkers 25 are to be retracted by the catchbar 31, it is essential that the catchbar be prevented from retracting the sinkers. For this purpose, means are provided, according to the present invention, for arresting the downward movement of the catchbar, at which time the catchbar is partially engaged with the sinkers and for disengaging the catchbar from the sinkers and returning it to the raised inactive position prior to said sinker retracting movement. Such means includes a cam 10 on the camshaft l1 adapted to be engaged by a cam follower 1| slidably and rotatably mounted on the pin 60 in the lever 51. The cam 10 is provided with low and high portions 13 and 14, respectively, which are connected by inclined portions, one of which is shown at 18 in Fig. 3. The follower 11 is normally maintained out of the path of the cam 10, as shown in Fig. 6, by a latch member 12 slidably carried in the bracket 61. The latch member 12 is biased toward latching position by a spring 15 (Fig. 8). The latch member 12 carries a fixed collar 16 having projections 11 for engaging a slot in the bracket 61 to prevent the latch member from turning in the bracket. When the latch member 12 is tripped, as hereinafter set forth, the cam follower 1| is shifted from the position of Fig. 6 to the position of Fig. '1 by a spring 8|.

Means for tripping the latch member 12 includes a lever 82 pivotally mounted on the shaft 42 between a pair of collars 85 fixed to the shaft 42 (Fig. 4). One arm 86 of the lever 82 carries a finger 81 adapted to cooperate at times with a projecting portion 90 of the collar 16 (Figs. 3 and 8). The lever 82 is provided with a second arm 9| having a stud 92 adjustably held in the free end thereof by means of a screw 93, as shown in Fig. 5. The stud 92 has an eccentric portion 95 which rotatably carries a cam follower 96 by means of a shouldered stud 91, as shown in Fig. 5. The follower 96 cooperates with cams I00 carried on the connecting bar 36, the follower being adapted to engage one of the cams at the end of each reciprocating movement of the connecting bar. By turning the stud 92 in the arm 9|, the eccentric portion 95 adjusts the position of the follower '96 relative to the cams lllflnwhich in turn adjusts the lever 82 to determine the inactive position of the finger 81 relative tonthe portion 90, as shown in Fig. 3.

At the start of a normal knitting cycle of the machine, thefollower 96 is in engagementv with one of the cams I00, the follower H is held in the position of Fig. 6 by the latch member 12 and the follower Bi is in engagement with the high portion of cam 62 which maintains thecatchbar 37 in it high inactive position relative to the sinkers 25. A the connecting bar 36 is reciprocated by the coulier mechanism the follower 96 rides off a cam I09 and the lever 82 is-.turned in a clockwise direction by a spring H11, connected between the arm 91 and lever 51,:to a position determined by engagement of a set screw I02, carried in the arm 86, with a rodorshaft I05 forming a usual part of the machine. Clockwise movement of'the lever 82 moves a nose portion I06 of the finger 87 below a top :edge It! of the projecting portion 90 on the collar 16 (see Fig; 8). As the connecting bar continues to move, the sinker 25 are advanced in the sinker-head 2.2 by the slur cam 3|. Near the end of the reciprocating movement of the connecting bar and after the last sinker 25 is advanced by the slur cam M, the follower 9&5 engages the other cam I90 which turns lever 82 counterclockwise thereby moving the nose portion we above the top edge ill! of portion 90. Also after the last sinker 25 is advanced by the slur cam 31, the catchbar is operated by the cam 47 to .advancethe dividers 26 and the follower 61 starts down the inclined surface 68 connecting the high and low portions 63' and 54, respectively, of cam 62, as the camshaft rotates, to lower thecatchbar '31 into engagement with the sinkers. Movement'of follower 6! down said inclined surface 68 causes spring 65 to move the lever 51 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby moving the portion 90 beneath the nose portion I06 of the finger '8'! without interference.

When, however, the parts become mistimed and the connecting bar 36 fails to carry the slur roam 3! beyond the sinkers and av cam H10 into engagement with thefollower 96, the nose portion I06 remains below the top edge It! of the portion 90. Therefore, as the follower 6| starts down'the inclined surface 68 and the lever '51 moves coune terclockwise under the influence of spring 65 to start lowering the catchbar 37 to sinker engaging position, the nose portion "it engages the portion 9!], and as the lever continues to move counterclockwise the latch 12 is tripped to release the follower ll. Upon release, the follower II "is shifted by the spring 81 from the position of-Fig. 6 into alignment with the cam '10, as shown in Fig. '7, the follower H, atthis time, being above the low portion 13 of the cam as viewed in Fig. 3. As the follower 6| continues to move down the inclined surface 68 the follower .H engages the inclined surface 18 connecting the low and high portions 13' and 14, respectively, of'cam In thereby arresting the counterclockwise movement of the lever 51 and the downward movement of the catchbar. Thereupon, as the follower H rides up the inclined surface 78 to the high portion 14 of the cam Hi, the lever '5'! is turned clockwise and the catchbar 3'! disengaged from the sinkers p and again raised to inactive position. After corresting the diificulties causing the mistiming, the follower ll is returned to the position of Fig. 6, in which position it is again held by latch 12..

When the camshaft H and connectinghar 3x6 .ating the switch lever H6.

6 become mistimed relative-to each other, means is also provided to stop the driving motor of the machine." The means for this purpose includes a lever ilzpivotal'ly mounted on one of the levers 4t (Fig. 2) one end of lever H12 being positioned to engage either high. or low portions of a cam plate ilisecured to the connecting bar 36. The other end of the lever H2 i adapted to engage an operatinglever H6 of a switch I H which controls theelectrical circuit of the machine motor. When the connecting bar 36 and camshaft I] operatein normal timed relation, the lever H2 engages a. high part of the cam plate H5 as thesinkers 25 are advanced in the sinker-head .Hvby-the' slur cam 3 and the lever H2 engages a low part-of the cam H5 before the lever 4| "advances the dividers 26. Therefore, the divider advancing movement of the lever 4| moves the lever 1 12 into the position of Fig. 2 without actu- However, when the high part of cam plate H5 remains in engagement with the lever H2 at the time the lever ll advances the divider 26, the lever H2 is turned counterclockwise on the lever 44 to trip the lever I I6, thereby operating the switch I l l to open the circuit to stop the motor. A more complete showing and description of the motor stop means may be had by reference to U. S. Patent No. 2,427,163, issued'to P. Schmidt et al., September 9, 1947.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described, by which the "above described results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, aslur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head, means for movingsaid-catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a from-said slur cam means for releasing said second cam follower for engagement with said sec- 0nd cam.

2.- In a straight knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, aslur cam for advancing said sinkers in sad sinker-head, a catchbar, means for engaging said catchbar with said sinkers including a lever, a cam follower on said lever and a cam on said camshaft, .means for operating said catchbar for advancing and retracting said sinkers in said sinker-head independently of said slur cam means, .a second cam follower on said lever, a second cam on said camshaft, latch means for holding said second follower inactive relative to said secondcam, and means for operating said latch means to release said second follower for .bar advancing and retracting movements when said slur cam and catchbar are mistimed in relation to each other.

3. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head, means for moving said catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a lever, a follower on said lever and a cam on said camshaft for engaging said follower, additional cam means controlled by said slur cam means, a member adapted to engage said additional cam means when said slur cam is outside the end sinkers in said sinker-head, a second cam on said camshaft, a second follower on said lever and a latch for normally holding said second follower in inactive position relative to said second cam, said member acting to release said second follower for engagement with said second cam whereby said lever is operated to return said catchbar to inactive position when said member fails to engage said additional cam means.

4. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, front catchbar means including a cam on said camshaft and a follower therefor for engaging said catchbar to said sinkers, back catchbar means operated from said camshaft for operating said catchbar to advance and retract said sinkers in said sinkerhead, a second cam on said camshaft and a second follower therefor for disengaging said catchbar from said sinkers, means for holding said second follower in inactive position relative to said second cam, and means controlled from said slur cam means for operating said holding means to release said second follower for engagement with said second cam to disengage said catchbar from said sinkers before said advancing and retracting movements when said slur cam means and catchbar become mistimed in relation to each other.

5. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said -sinkerhead, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head independently of said slur cam means, means for moving said catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a lever, a follower on said lever and a cam on said camshaft, and means for arresting said catchbar in said movement to active position and for returning said catchbar to inactive position before said forward and back movements when said catchbar and slur cam means are mistimed in relation to each other including a second cam on said camshaft, a second follower on said lever, a latch member for normally holding said second follower in inactive position relative to said second cam, and means controlled by the position of said slur cam means and said camshaft for tripping said latch member to release said second follower for engagement with said second cam.

6. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head, means for moving said catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a lever, a follower on said lever and a cam on said camshaft, and means for returning said catchbar to inactive position before said forward and back movements when said catchbar and slur cam means are mistimed in relation to each other including a second cam on said camshaft, a second follower on said lever, a latch member for normally holding said second follower in inactive position relative to said second cam, means for tripping said latch member to release said second cam follower, and spring means for shifting said second follower into active position relative to said second cam.

'7. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinker-head, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head, means for moving said catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a lever, a, follower on said lever and a cam on said camshaft, and means for returning said catchbar to inactive position before said forward and back movements when said catchbar and slur cam means are mistimed in relation to each other including a second cam on said camshaft, a second follower on said lever, a latch member for normally holding said second follower in inactive position relative to said second cam, means controlled from said slur cam means for releasing said second follower, and spring means for moving said second follower into active position relative to said second cam.

8. In a straight knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinker-head, sinkers in said sinkerhead, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinker-head, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinker-head independently oi said slur cam means, means operated by said camshaft for moving said catchbar from inactive position to active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements, means for arresting said catchbar in its movement to active sinker engaging position and returning it to inactive position when said catchbar and slur cam means are mistimed in relation to each other, said arresting and returning means including a cam on said camshaft, a follower for said cam, a latch member for normally holding said follower in inactive position relative to said cam, and means for tripping said latch member to release said follower for engagement with said cam.

9. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having a camshaft, a sinkerhead, sinkers in said sinkerhead, a slur cam means for advancing said sinkers in said sinkerhead, a catchbar, means for operating said catchbar to move said sinkers forward and back in said sinkerhead, means for moving said catchbar from an inactive position to an active position to engage said sinkers for said forward and back movements including a lever, a

follower on said lever, and a cam on said camshaft; and means for returning said catchbar to said inactive position before the occurrence of said forward and back movements when said catchbar and slur cam means are mistimed in relation to each other including a second cam on said camshaft, a second follower, means for sup- 2,682,164 9 l0 porting said second follower for movement be- References Cited in the file of this patent tween active and. inactive positions With relation UNITED STATES PATENTS to said second cam, means to cause said lever to Number Name Date respond to cam following movements of said sec- P 0nd cam follower, a latch member normally hold- 5 2,25%132 We1sbeker 1941 ing said second follower in its inactive position 21343148 start 1944 and means controlled from said slur cam means for releasing said latch member, and means for moving said second cam follower when released by said latch means into its active position for 10 engagement with said second cam. 

